THE NEW ERA OF HR & I&D: WHAT INDIANA EMPLOYERS MUST KNOW NOW
By Julia Pillow, SHRM-SCP, Inclusion & Diversity Director
A Three-Month Whirlwind in HR
The last 90 days have reshaped the HR landscape in ways employers can’t afford to ignore. Compliance expectations tightened. DEI programs were re-evaluated nationwide. The EEOC introduced sweeping reporting changes. And SHRM made a decisive return to the Inclusion & Diversity space — restoring I&D to the center of its national strategy and renaming its flagship conference Blueprint for I&D.
Indiana employers are navigating all of this in real time, with direct implications for hiring, reporting, training, and culture-building.
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SHRM Re-Enters the I&D Space
The SHRM Center for Inclusion & Diversity (CID)
In June 2026, SHRM launched the Center for Inclusion & Diversity (CID) — a research and compliance engine built to help employers design inclusion strategies that are:
- Legally Defensible
- Civility-Centered
- Outcome-Focused
“Diversity is the input, civility is the practice, and inclusion is the outcome.”
— Carolynn Johnson, CID President
CID represents a shift toward evidence-based, compliance-ready inclusion — not performative DEI, but durable workforce strategy.
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Blueprint for I&D: A Return to Clarity
SHRM’s national conference has officially been renamed Blueprint for I&D, restoring Inclusion & Diversity to the title and reaffirming SHRM’s commitment to:
- Clear legal boundaries
- Standardized inclusion models
- Enterprise-wide alignment
- Civility as a cultural foundation
This move re-establishes a national standard for inclusion work — practical, measurable, and defensible.
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EEOC Reporting Changes: What Employers Must Know
Major EEO-1 Overhaul (April–June 2026)
The EEOC has introduced the most significant EEO-1 reporting updates in years, including:
- New job category definitions aligned with modern roles
- Updated demographic reporting guidance
- Stricter deadlines and enforcement mechanisms
- Expanded expectations for multi-site employers
These changes reflect the EEOC’s push for greater precision, accountability, and alignment with evolving workforce realities.
Increased Scrutiny on Informal DEI Practices
The EEOC is also examining:
- mentorship programs
- leadership pipelines
- ERGs
- appearance policies
- promotion and calibration processes
Any practice affecting access to opportunity must now be documented, consistent, and defensible.
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Top HR Trends From the Last 3 Months
DEI Budget Contraction Across the Fortune 500
Budgets tightened, but SHRM’s research shows inclusion remains tied to retention, innovation, and revenue stability.
Civility as a Workforce Imperative
Civility is emerging as the backbone of culture-building — especially in multigenerational and manufacturing-heavy environments.
Talent Shortages Continue in Southern Indiana
Inclusive culture, flexible policies, and community-based pipelines are now competitive advantages.
AI Adoption Accelerates HR Transformation
AI is reshaping recruiting, performance management, and workforce planning — but must be paired with human oversight and inclusion safeguards.
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What This Means for Indiana Employers
Indiana organizations face unique dynamics:
- tight labor markets
- multi-generational teams
- manufacturing-heavy operations
- rising compliance expectations
The takeaway:
Inclusion is now a compliance requirement, a talent strategy, and a performance lever.
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See You at the SHRM Indiana Conference in August!
I’m looking forward to connecting with you, learning from your experiences, and strengthening the future of HR across our state.
